Coventry gets confidence boost from innovative new development
The conversion of the Co-operative building on Corporation Street in Coventry into a mixed use development is a cause for optimism according to Cllr Jim O’Boyle.
Cllr O’Boyle believes that EDG’s imaginative development will give a confidence boost to the city at a key time in its overall regeneration.
O’Boyle said: “The co-op closed in 2015 and everybody had fond memories of the old department store – I bought my very first flat cap and boots for work here! There was something for everyone – but it was out of time.”
The site attracted interest from a wide range of developers, including a plan to demolish the building and build high rise student accommodation, but the council wanted to keep “the building and the spirit of the building.”
EDG’s development plan fitted into the council’s vision for the co-op site and after meeting EDG Cllr O’Boyle said: ” As soon as I met Neil Edginton of EDG and chatted to him about his plans it made absolute sense to me that this was the right option for the Co-Op building. This is a massive statement of intent from Neil and everyone at EDG. Its a massive statement of intent from the city and I am sure this is the first of may great collaborations we are going to work on together.”
Neil Edginton added: We’ve deliberately made life hard for ourselves because we wanted to include elements such as the internal park to make the development extra special and we are creating the highest spec residential units in the city.”
The new development features luxury apartments, 25% of which have already been sold, plus office space and a restaurant on the ground floor called Stakeout.
The development has a glass roof that allows light into the internal park area, the first of its kind in the Midlands.
